Investigation after RAF helicopter fire in Snowdonia

Investigation after RAF helicopter fire in Snowdonia

An investigation has been launched into why a RAF helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing before bursting into flames on top of a Snowdonia peak.

Five people were aboard the training aircraft when it was forced to land at Yr Aran, a mountain ridge south of Snowdon on Tuesday at about 13:45 BST.

The Griffin helicopter from RAF Valley on Anglesey then burst into flames.

All the passengers escaped unharmed but walkers for miles around could see black smoke billowing from the peak.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said an investigation was underway and the wreckage would be removed once that was completed.

Five people – four military and one civilian – were on the helicopter when it completed what the MOD called a “precautionary landing”, while another person involved in the training exercise was already on the mountain.

It said the exercise involved the helicopter picking people up and putting them back down.

After the helicopter caught fire, the air ambulance was sent to the scene, along with a coastguard helicopter.

Firefighters, police and mountain rescue teams from Llanberis, Ogwen Valley and Aberglaslyn also made their way to the peak, while an air exclusion zone was put in place.